Multipath charger and charging method thereof

• US 10,277,050 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2014
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Chih-Chien, Chen, Po-Hsin, Hsu, Chih-Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Zixuan
• Application Number:
  US14/763,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20150357851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 320107, 320108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/00 Details of apparatus for conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load

Abstract

A multipath charger includes a first charging path, a second charging path, and a management module. A supply voltage is coupled through the first charging path and the second charging path to a battery. The management module provides the supply voltage and detects the operating state of the battery. The management module selectively enables the first charging path, the second charging path, or both according to the operating state of the battery, so as to charge the battery through the enabled charging path.

Claims

1. A multipath charger for charging a battery, comprising:

a first charging path;

a second charging path, wherein a supply voltage is coupled through the first charging path and the second charging path to the battery; and

a management module, providing the supply voltage, and detecting an operating state of the battery, wherein the management module is configured to selectively enable one of three charging modes, whereby;

in a first charging mode, the management module enables the first charging path, in a second charging mode, the management module enables the second charging path, and in a third charging mode, the management module simultaneously enables both the first charging path and the second charging path, wherein the enabled charging mode is determined according to the operating state of the battery, so as to charge the battery through the enabled charging path or paths,

wherein the first charging path comprises a switching charging circuit and the second charging path comprises a linear charging circuit, and

wherein the first charging path receives power from a first adapter of a first type and the second charging path receives power from a second power adapter of a second type, wherein the second power adapter receives power through a wired connection.

2. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second charging path is completely separate from the first charging path.

3. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first adapter is an AC adapter.

4. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second power adapter is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) adapter.

5. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first charging path is implemented with a main charging circuit, and the second charging path is implemented with an auxiliary charging circuit.

6. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching charging circuit comprises:

a PMOS transistor (P-type Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor), wherein the PMOS transistor has a gate controlled by the management module, a source coupled to the supply voltage, and a drain coupled to an inner node;

an NMOS transistor (N-type Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor),

wherein the NMOS transistor has a gate controlled by the management module, a source coupled to a ground voltage, and a drain coupled to the inner node; and

an inductor, wherein the inner node is coupled through the inductor to the battery.

7. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linear charging circuit comprises;

a PMOS transistor (P-type Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor), wherein the PMOS transistor has a gate controlled by the management module, a source coupled to the supply voltage, and a drain coupled to the battery.

8. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 5, wherein the management module further detects connection states and capabilities of the first adapter and the second power adapter.

9. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 8, wherein when the first adapter and the second power adapter are both coupled to the management module, the management module enables both the main charging circuit and the auxiliary charging circuit.

10. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 8, wherein when only the first adapter is coupled to the management module and the first adapter has a capability of supplying a determined level of current, the management module enables both the main charging circuit and the auxiliary charging circuit.

11. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 8, wherein when only the first adapter is coupled to the management module and the first adapter does not have a capability of supplying a determined level of current, the management module enables the main charging circuit and disables the auxiliary charging circuit.

12. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 8, wherein when only the second power adapter is coupled to the management module, the management module enables the main charging circuit and disables the auxiliary charging circuit.

13. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 8, wherein when the first adapter and the second power adapter are both decoupled from the management module, the management module disables both the main charging circuit and the auxiliary charging circuit.

14. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating state of the battery comprises at least one of a battery voltage, a battery temperature, and a battery capacity.

15. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 14, wherein when the battery temperature is higher than a temperature threshold, the management module reduces currents on the first charging path and/or the second charging path.

16. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 14, wherein when the battery temperature is higher than a temperature threshold, the management module disables one or both the first charging path and the second charging path.

17. The multipath charger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first adapter is an AC adapter and the second power adapter is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) adapter.

18. A method for charging a battery, comprising the steps of:

providing a first charging path and a second charging path, wherein a supply voltage is coupled through the first charging path and the second charging path to the battery;

detecting an operating state of the battery;

selectively enabling one of three charging modes, whereby in a first charging mode, the first charging path comprising a switching charging circuit is enabled, in a second charging mode the second charging path comprising a linear charging circuit is enabled, and in a third charging mode, both the first charging path and the second charging path are enabled, according to the operating state of the battery; and

charging the battery through the enabled charging path or paths,

wherein the first charging path receives power from a first adapter of a first type and the second charging path receives power from a second power adapter of a second type, and

wherein the second power adapter receives power through a wired connection.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second charging path is completely separate from the first charging path.